LUNAFEY

CHAPTER 24

24

"'Richer, the witch, I can't find her,' the woman said. Cedric held me tight as I sobbed in his arms. 'Richer!' she said softly, 'she must be someone dear to you; I can see that.' She paused, her hands on her hips. 'But the witch...'

'Araminti!' Cedric exclaimed, his mouth agape. 'Oh, you didn't notice me all this time,' she said, her accent hinting at Middle Eastern roots, but lighter.

"'When did you get here?' He asked, picking me up in his arms.
'Oh, that,' she replied, 'I used your winter gate.'
'Oh!' was all his response.
'It was corrupted, by the way, but I fixed it,' she added, 'or else how would I have gotten here?'

'Cedric shook his head, 'Yeah, yeah, forget that. How did you get here so fast?'
'I said, I used the winter gate – and by winter gate, I mean your winter gate,' she clarified, pointing at him.

'Cedric's expression remained puzzled. 'Yeah, I know that. What I mean is, I just sent you the invitation last night.'
'Yeah, and I'm here,' she responded, turning to walk towards the ice.

'Cedric shook his head again. 'Do you perhaps have another issue with the prince?'
'He's the king now, Richer,' she said, pointing to him. Cedric glanced at me briefly before returning his attention to her. She called him Richer again – a name that wasn't unfamiliar to me.

"'I don't always keep track with your issues, Araminti,' Cedric sighed, taking a deep, exhausted breath. He closed his eyes, 'She's getting away – the left side of the woods.' He gave Araminti a stern look.

'Well, don't look at me like that,' she said, moving towards the woods. 'I'm going,' she added, dashing off in the direction Cedric indicated.

Cedric turned towards the woods where Beau and the others were pinned, his expression fierce. 'And you!' He growled, his voice furious. His glare was hot and firm on them. The trees caught on fire, and the creatures, who were already waking up, started screaming.

"The smell of arid, dead, rotten flesh hung in the air, and I felt sorry for Beau. 'No, no, Cedric, don't!' I said, and the flames were extinguished at once. 'But don't tell me to get them loose; they can stay there for all I care,' he said, walking off.

'And Araminti?' I asked him. 'Are you just going to leave her alone?'

'My sister will be alright,' he replied. 'Let's get you inside; it's cold.'

I snuggled closely into his chest, and he stopped in his tracks. I felt his gaze on me, and I'd never seen him look so worried. Cedric always had an aura of calm, like nothing ever bothered him – it was mesmerizing. I didn't want to fall in love with him, but I couldn't help it when he was this good to me. His kindness made me forget all his past mistakes.

'Ah, em,' Bay cleared his throat, his usually invincible presence finally registering. I raised my head to look at him. 'I'm glad you're alright, Luna,' he said quietly.

Cedric carried me in his arms across the icy lake, with Bay following quietly behind us different from his usual chatty self.

"I could hear the ice under Cedric's feet freeze as he walked on it. I lifted my head to see something I'd never witnessed before - the ice freezing as he stepped on the lake . I didn't know he possessed such abilities, and there was so much about this man I didn't know. Now, I was curious to learn more.

'Richer!' Araminti called out, running and gliding towards us on the ice. Apparently, she didn't freeze the ice like Cedric, or maybe she couldn't. I gathered some intel from that witch - something bad was brewing, just as you predicted.

Before Cedric could respond to Araminti, 'Master Cedric!' Angus called out, running towards us and kneeling on the ice. 'I failed you again.'

Again? What did he mean by 'again'? Cedric's words shocked me: 'You can both call me as you've always done.' He looked at me, then Bay, and finally back at Angus. 'Yes, call me Richer.'

I gazed at his face, curious about what he meant.
'And the witch?' He asked Araminti.
'A tiny dislocated shoulder, but she's good,' she replied. 'You let her go,' Cedric stated sternly.
'I'm tracking her,' Araminti concluded, and Cedric didn't press further. He trusts her; I could feel it.
Cedric turned to look me in the eyes. "I wanted to tell you before I left," he said, his gaze intense. "I'm the Harbinger you seek, the one you came to find – Richer Fey Harbinger."

He searched my face, then shifted his attention to his right. "And this pretty lady here," he said with a hint of affection, "is Araminti Sybil Harbinger, my younger sister."